Improvement in cot-beds



0. HOWE. Got-Bed.

No. 222,629 Patented Dec. 16, 1879.

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Urrnn PATEN'I' OFFICE,

OTIS HOWE, OF CAMBRIDGEPORT, MASSAOHUSETTS. l

IMPROVEMENT IN COT-BEDS.

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,629, dated December 16, 1879; application filed February 3, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, O'rIs HOWE, of Oambridgeport, coun ty of Middlesex, Stateof Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement'in Got-Beds, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawngs, is a specification.

Tlis invention relates to a cot or camp bed provided with crossed foldin g legs; and the inyention consists in a oot-bed having crossed legs connected by a cross-bar extended through the legs, and permitting the folding of the legs within the bed-frame, and their extension for use, the legs being held in either position by a riction-spring or otherwise. At or near the center of the oot-bed is arranged to fold within said bed-frame an expansible brace, which prevents the side bars of the cot drawing together wlen weight isapplied to the flexible top of the cot, the said brace being so constrncted as not to interfere with the descent of the body of the person occupying the cot.

Figure l is a side elevation. of a cot constructed in accordance with my invention, and

`Fig. 2 is an under-side view of the same, with the legs and other parts folded within the side bars.

The side bars, a a, of the cot are, at their ends, held together by means of rigid bars, b, having their ends next the side bars reduced to form proper bearings for the end legs, c, to turn upon, suitable devices shown in this instance, as friction springs d, being arranged, in connection with the legs, to hold the legs in either of their two main positions-namely, extended for use or folded for storage.

The legs c have cross-rods e at or near the center of their length, the projecting ends of which enter slots f inthe legs g, which legs are pivoted to the side bars at h. These legs c g, which support each end of the cot, are so pivoted with relation each to the other, and' the ends of the cross-rods e are of such length that the legs may be turned out from between the bars to support the cot, as in Fig. 1, when the said legs will cross each other; or the said legs may be moved together in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 1, and be made to occupy a position entirely within and between the side bars a, when, as in Fig. 2, the said legs will be parallel. In this position the friction- The flexible or canvas top k is attached to the bars a b by tacks, or in any usual way.

To prevent this top from sagging to any uncomfortable extent when weight is applied upon it, as would be the case at or near the center of the length of the cot if the side bars were not prevented from approaching each other at that point, I have placed between the side bars an expanding brace, l, made, preferably, as a metal rod, curved as shown in Fig. 2. The ends of this brace are loosely held in the side bars.

The brace, by its spring-like action, forces the side bars apart, and when turned down into the position shown in Fig. 1, the said brace is so far removed below the top k that the top will never come in contact with it.

l Instead of the metal brace l I may employ pivoted blocks connected with the side bars,

` the blocks being held together by a cross-rod,

and these blocks may be forced against the inner side of the bars by a donblethreaded screw-rod: (See Fig. 2.)

. The cot, by reason ..of.the compact folding of the legs, may be made to occupy a space only the thickness and width of. the frame t which supports the top k. i

Each opposite leg c or g is connected with its mate by a round, p, or r.

1. In a cot-bed, the pivoted legs c g, connected with the bars of the cot and with each other, as described, by means of a projectionlegs, adapted to be folded up Within' the frame, and the expansible brace arranged beneath the bottom between the sdes of the frame, and so as to be folded up Within said frame, the Whole eonstructed to operate substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have sgned my name to this speeifieation in the presence of two sub.

G. W. GREGORY, N. E. WHITNEY. 

